Not Like You (LapisXPeridot)
by TheOneFlamingWaffels
Summary: High School AU. Beach City University has been plagued by nuisances ever since it's grand opening. Lapis, one of the first to attend the school, is appalled by the recklessness of it's patrons. Especially Peridot, and the members of the gang known only as "The Divide," and their faceless leader, Yellow Diamond. Various ships. Rated M for Drug Abuse, Language, and Mature Themes.
1. Like a Moth to a Flame

"Are you sure about this, Kid?" A tall, muscular woman said, her ashen hair a sharp contrast against the brick walls of the alley. Her voice was rasp and deep, and her smile, unwelcoming. Before her stood a small teenager. She had a triangular shape to her blondish green hair, and wore a set of glass visors over her eyes. Although she was only about half the size of the towering woman- probably less- she was 16, only three years younger than the large woman, who was 19.

"I've told you, Jasper," The small girl said, her quirky voice peaking. "I am ready."

"Listen, Kid..." Jasper said, only to be cut off by the small girl.

"My name is Peridot." She said, glaring up at her.

Jasper chuckled. "It takes a lot of guts to interrupt me, pal." Jasper grumbled, a smile on her face. "You know what I do to people who disrespect me?"

"I've got a notion." Peridot said, not flinching as Jasper inched closer. She stared into her firey eyes, ones that seemed to hold a deep rage in them. They held each other's gaze for a moment, until it was broken by Jasper's laughter.

"I like you, kid." She said, patting her shoulder. "You're not afraid, and I can respect that."

Peridot nodded, the fear she felt weighing down on her chest, but she knew that as long as she didn't show it, she would be fine.

"Alright. You want to be a part of the Divide?" Jasper grumbled, "You can join, but this isn't a place for soft, rich girls."

"I know what I'm getting into." the small girl said, crossing her arms. "Don't undermine me."

"Alright, then." Jasper said, smiling, with some indiscernible notion that, perhaps, she may regret the descision. However, she shrugged it off at the sight of Peridot's bold and child-like smile.

* * *

Lapis Lazuli, a fair skinned, tall, skinny girl waltzed through the courtyard of Beach City University. Her walk itself displayed much about her. Her arms hung carefree, moving back and forth with each motion of her body, giving the other attendants some notion that perhaps she didn't give much of a damn about anything at all.

This may have seemed even more so since, for the past three days, she had been wandering around the campus alone. No friend stood at her side, no texts lit up her cell phone. Her day seemed almost as lifeless and sullen as the look on her face, which was plastered plainly upon it all day.

Today was the first day of classes, as the last three had been set for scheduling and the arrangement of student housing. Lapis gripped her schedule tightly in her left hand as her right struck through her short, deep blue hair. She was on her way to her dorm, g16, to make sure everything was in order before she went to her first class, Geometry. It was positioned on one of the many fixated hallways that branched off from the oddly shaped school, of which was lined in comfortable carpet and beige fresco walls. The brown doors that headed into each dorm room were adorned with silver embroiled numbers, identifying who they belonged to. Lapis approached hers, opening it gently as she turned on the light. It was empty, and for that, she was thankful.

She had asked for a lone dorm room, however each room was built for two people, and the administration could not promise that they would not have to use her extra space for new students. So, at any point, some one could move in. She was just very, VERY thankful that she could have a room all to herself.

She dug through her things, which were still packed into bags neatly next to her bed. She had not unpacked much. Once she got what she needed, her laptop case, she headed out the door, and onto class.

Inside the class, dully colored posters lined the wall in an attempt to make math seem indefinitely less intimidating and more fun than it actually was. The seats were quickly being filled by eager and somewhat frantic students, excited to start their school year off with a bang. Lapis Lazuli made her way to the back of class, near the second story window, (Where all the cool anime protagonists sat.) She pulled from her bag her laptop, ready to take notes if necessary.

The teacher, a tall, broad shouldered woman with something of a masculine face greeted all of them loudly, her brunette hair swishing back and forth with each eccentric movement of her body.

"Good morning class," She said, an incredible light brimming in her eyes, as if she wanted nothing more than to see her room full of attentive, lively students who were as enthused and happy as she was about the new school year. This was, for the most part, true, although Lapis's expression gave even the teacher the notion that she hated the idea of being trapped in the four walls that surrounded her.

In truth, Lapis didn't really care about much, except that her grades were relatively high and that she got through the day. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but she often gave off the impression to other people that she was angry- at something deep down inside. Perhaps she was, she thought, but she was too laid back to delve too deep into her own psychology.

"Since we're all new here..." The teacher began, her smile lighting up the room. "And I'm sure you're excited to be the first classes to attend the newly build university, why don't we get to know each other?"

A quiet rumble began through the class. It was true, most did not know each other, so there was little to no rejection of the idea of at least spreading names. And so, it began as the bulky figure of the teacher spun around and began writing on the electronic board, nicknamed the "Smart-Board." When she finished, she stepped away, revealing a beautifully signed signature, spelling out the name "Ms. Amber."

"My name is Ms. Amber." The teacher said dauntingly, and turned to the first student to the far left of the classroom. "Now, we'll go around the room and each of us will tell who we are, and something about us."

She lifted her hand to one of the student, who was a boy with deep purple, spiky hair. He wore his sunglasses like trophies, and although he had a slim figure, his muscle mass was clear. "My name's Dexter." He said in a moderately low voice, smiling. "I like to run track."

That was all he said before he sat back down in his seat, satisfied with his introduction, as if he had given a speech about his whole life story concentrated into two sentences. It was a kind of simplicity and confidence that Lapis couldn't quite wrap her head around.

The next student stood, a girl with a considerably feminine figure and long, black, braided hair. She said aloud, "The name's Earthquake. And I'm a dabbling magician." she said, with the same level of confidence. Lapis thought for sure, the two must have known one another, Dexter and Earthquake. They both held that certain quality in a person that makes the like-minded flock together, like a moth to a flame, and inevitably, to their doom. The two could be perceived by Lapis to be nothing but trouble.

A few more students raised to say their names, and a few mentionables rose. "My name is Steven." One boy said, a small freshman who looked out of place among the towering boys and girls next to him. Though, Lapis couldn't help but think of him as cute, and likable.

Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl all came one after another. Lapis didn't like either of them just by looking at them. They seemed too focused. Too like minded. Too prestigious.

The rest of them were plain, boring, at least to Lapis. They were common people with common interests, clearly set to one group. A few geeks in the corner, some jocks in the middle, and so forth. However, the mantle soon came to Lapis, and she reluctantly stood and said her name.

"My name is Lapis Lazuli." She said crudely, her bittersweet voice echoing through the room, hanging on the ears of the students it held like gentle butterflies that, at any moment, could turn man-eating and ravenous. Perhaps it gave her the aura of being terrifying, because a few students seemed to shrink against her words.

"I like to swim," She finished, eyeing at the students almost awkwardly. Ms. Amber breathed in quite slowly, almost expectantly. For a moment there was a silence, however, that silence was broken by the sound of the door being swung open. Lapis's eyes, as well as most of the students's, darted to it. In the doorway, Peridot stood, her Triangular hair almost making navigating difficult. She dusted off her tee shirt, taking a deep breath as she looked out to the students, many of which were now staring.

"Late, and on the first day?" Ms. Amber asked, more demandingly than inquisitively, but her face lightened when she saw Peridot's face trace a bit of the notion that she was distraught.

"It's okay, dear." The teacher added, smiling. "We were just introducing ourselves. Could you tell us your name- and something about yourself?"

Peridot grinned widely at her words, taking a breath, and eyeing the considerably taller patrons of the room.

"My name is Peridot!" She said aloud, chuckling. "And I'm a member of the Divide!"

And so it was- that the flame entered the room. The flame every moth flocked to, with some indiscernible notion that, perhaps, they may regret the decision.

* * *

 _ **Okay guys, so, this was a really short starting chapter (As most of mine are) But the next ones will be longer, (Shooting for at least 3000 words a chapter.) Anyway, thank you guys so much for your support on my other works. Please leave a review, I would greatly appreciate it, and any feedback would be appreciated, even if it is negative.**_


	2. Interested

The short, twig like girl had caught the attention of all of the students. The Divide was well known in town, and although they had never been directly linked to any crimes, all of it's members were generalized as shady and dangerous, and just the kind of people that foolish high school students flocked to. And so it was that everyone looked at Peridot as if she were sent from cools-ville itself to brighten up the face of the school. Of course, there were some who doubted, but most knew that anyone caught flaunting around the name of the Divide under false pretenses was soon to be set straight. So, in the minds of the students, Peridot was either pretty badass, or pretty brave. Either way, it earned the respect of almost everyone in the room, save for Ms. Amber and Lapis Lazuli.

Ms. Amber seemed unimpressed at her claim, telling her plainly to find a seat. Peridot nodded quietly- one of those nods you might see a superstar give to her fans- and found her seat- directly in front of Lapis Lazuli.

Lapis let out an audible sigh. Of all the people to sit in front of her, it was this pleb. She didn't pay much mind to her at first, but her hair quickly became an issue. As Ms. Amber began to tell the class what would be taught through the school year- sort of introduction to the course- she had a hard time seeing past Peridot's oddly shaped hair. It was ungodly large, and blocked the board quite obnoxiously.

Lapis had the notion that, perhaps, she would have problems with this girl.

And so it was that class was over as quickly as it began. Students flooded from the doors as the bell resounded through the halls almost eerily. Lapis Lazuli had never been one for old fashioned school bells- the ones that damn near sounded like fire alarms- but that was what the school was equipped with. She got her laptop, sliding it into the sleeve, and stepping away from her desk. She was stopped, though, by an annoyingly quirky and high pitched voice.

"Hey- I didn't catch your name." Peridot said from behind her, a faint smile lining her lips. Lapis turned slowly to face her, noting the somewhat sinister, yet innocent look behind her bright green eyes. It puzzled her how, just from a glance, Peridot seemed to hold all the good and evil in the world behind her gaze- as if she knew everything but nothing at the same time, and it was keeping her together, but tearing her apart. A riddle wrapped in a mystery indeed.

Due to her perplexment, it took Lapis quite a few seconds to issue a reply. In fact, it wasn't until the look in Peridot's eyes changed from indefinitely complex to a look of amazingly simple inquiry that she noticed that she had drifted off into thought. She rebounded quickly, shoving her hands into her pockets and looking away somewhat, speaking plainly.

"Lapis Lazuli." She said, taking a step away. She listened closely as Peridot said,

"Peridot. Nice to meet you."

Her tone of voice made it extremely difficult for Lapis to decipher whether or not she was making small talk, or was being genuine. However, Lapis's answer would not have changed.

"Whatever, Dorito head." She said, taking the next few steps to exit the classroom.

* * *

It was not until lunch that Lapis truly began to adjust to the fact that she was at high school. She played on her laptop in a corner off the mess hall, not really eating anything. She hated the food served by the school, and would have much rather went to the diner just a ways down the street, but she had forgotten her money in her dorm, and due to the positioning of the school, the walk to her dorm was quite the journey, and would take more time than was alloted for lunch. Their schedule was relatively loose, but Lapis had class immediately after lunch. She wrote a few lines of the beginning chapter of her own book- a story she had been inspired to write from her constantly drifting imagination. This one was called, "Not Like You."

She wanted to model it based on her own life, but didn't know where to start. So, as a placeholder, she began to explain her current situation. This spat of writing didn't last long, however. As she began to write, a shout rang through the mess hall. Instinctively, she looked up, seeing that Garnet- one of the girls from her first class- was holding a stack of papers and speaking loudly.

"All who would wish to join a club-" She began simply, "-we have submission forms just outside of the mess hall. We offer Track, Swim Team, Creative Writing, and a wrestling course."

Garnet said all of this, adjusting her shades and giving a subtle nod to the patrons of the cafeteria. After she said what was needed to be said, she walked out, leaving the students to their own devices. Lapis was intrigued by the swim team. Her old school had not offered one such course, and it was one of her favorite hobbies. Being as she didn't have any lunch, she walked outside to retrieve a form for the swim team. There were a couple tables set up in the courtyard in front of the mess hall- the Trio of complexities behind them. Garnet was there, of course, accompanied by a seemingly bickering Pearl and Amethyst. In front of the table were a few generic students, grabbing and signing forms like normal students would. However, what caught her eye was the puzzle herself, Peridot.

Peridot stood in front of the table, looking over the papers in an indecisive way. Lapis let out a sigh, walking over near her, and avoiding direct eye contact. She glanced to Garnet, clearing her throat.

"There was a... swim team sign up?" she asked.

Garnet replied simply. "Amethyst has those forms."

And so it was that Lapis found herself face to face with Amethyst, the small, chubby, ashen haired girl. She was playing on her phone as Lapis stepped up to her, every once in a while giving a snide remark to Pearl, the taller and thinner of the two. Lapis cleared her throat, effectively gaining her attention.

"Oh, heya, dweeb." Amethyst said snarkily, getting a good chuckle out of her own humor, just before looking up to see Lapis's more than just annoyed face. She quickly issued an apology, clearing her throat.

"So- whadaya want?" Amethyst asked, a smug smile plastered onto her lips. Lapis pointed at the forms for the swim team, and Amethyst caught on with realative ease. She gave Lapis a pencil to write with, and she began to fill out the form as she was at the table. For a moment, Amethyst watched with wandering eyes, but they soon lit up as an idea popped into her head.

"Hey..." Amethyst said to the now concentrated Lapis Lazuli, "Y'know, we couldn't really say anything about it cuz it's not school related at all- but there IS another club, if you're interested."

Lapis looked at her in an inquisitive sort of way, tilting her head as a silent way of accepting the burden of hearing her pitch. Amethyst's eyes brightened in a way, a silent token of gratitude to the weary Lapis.

"Well," She began, clearing her throat. "We've kinda got this low-key geek squad goin' on- games n' junk, y'know? Maybe you'd be-"

"Let me stop you there." Lapis said lowly, "I don't play that many games. I hardly play at all. I wouldn't enjoy it there."

Amethyst nodded understandingly, ripping a piece of paper off of one of the forms, writing what appeared to be a phone number on it.

"Here," Amethyst said, mimicking Lapis's dull tone. "If you ever decide to get a social life, call me up and I'll tell you where to meet up with us."

Lapis took the slip of paper, eyeing Amethyst rather unpleasantly, to which she just chuckled. As Lapis signed the last of the sections on the form, she turned away, sure that it would find the right hands and that she would be a worthy advocate for the team. The last thing she noticed before she left was the little enigma herself padding up to the table, whispering lowly to the chubby, eccentric girl behind it.

Lapis sighed, gripping her backpack tightly, and walking away.

* * *

AS SCHOOL ENDED, Peridot bolted out the doors of the main hall, the incessant dinging of the bell ringing through her ears. She knew exactly where to go, and what to do.

The courtyard just outside the main hall was dotted with bits of grass, shrubs, and small trees, leading to dormitories on each side, and the black-topped road directly in front. Peridot's destination today required use of this road, so she made a quick stop at the bike racks to retrieve her ride, mounting it quickly and peddling off on the sidewalk toward the heart of Beach City, and her first task as a newly appointed member of the Divide.

"Meet with Yellow Diamond after your classes." She remembered Jasper muttering under her breath. "Then you'll really get to learn a thing or two."

Peridot could hardly wait. Her heart was pumping- her blood was rushing- and she was ready.

So she thought, she was ready for what would happen next. And perhaps she was, although, she and Jasper knew that she had no idea what was coming next.

As Peridot approached the warehouse in which the Divide called home, she gulped. In its mass, it seemed more than a bit intimidating. At best, it looked like a slaughterhouse. At worst, it looked like something you might see straight out of a horror movie. As she noted this, she stepped off of her bike, balling her fist.

"Time for a whole new life." She whispered, stepping into the cold, foreboding palace, Just as her opposite, Lapis, stepped in toward the gymnasium, noting her own fears and withdrawals, and accepting her newly found home- however odd it may be.

* * *

 **Hey guys, I know this was short, but school has been hounding on me. Sorry, everyone, but life down here has been more than hard on a lot of us. But hey- It'd brighten my day to hear your thoughts on this chapter.**

 **TO THOSE WHO ARE EXPECTING MORE OF "A THOUSAND STARS," Expect away! I recently started writing chapter 3, and I'm absolutely flattered by all the support that the "A" Series is getting. I promise- I will work on it. I'll admit, though, I HAD given up on the series, but seeing the reviews again today made me change my mind. Thank you everyone, I appreciate it.**


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